If I wanted to race...

[KingRichard]

What do I actually have to do?

What's it like going for the different licences, Is it still A and B?

How do you get drives in other peoples cars? Or is it down to ability once you've built up a bit of experience in your own car?

Not bothered what I race particularly, I just fancy it - mainly circuit racing, preferably historic but I don't really care, just needs to be fun.

Seeing as more and more things are happening on the road now that I find beyond my control, it would be quite nice to get my speed fix elsewhere at the weekends and preserve life, limb and licence on the public roads. It's a chance to get involved in something as well.

What's all this I hear about the caterham academy?

[KingRichard]

Regional said:

You have to aquire your National B license through applying to the MSA for a go racing pack, you then need to take a medical/eye test, then book an ARDS test, pass that and then apply for your license.

I have an Alfa Romeo 33 race car for sale, ideal for starting out in - email me at [e-mail] for more details if you are interested.

Hmmm, I've got a recent medical for my Taxi badge... wonder if they'll accept it

Not sure if I'd pass the AIDS test... Oh, you said ARDS

I'll email you mate, but you might want to take that email address out of a public forum

[KingRichard]

teamHOLDENracing said:

If the question was 'how do I get to race someone elses car for free or be paid to do it' than that is an entirely different can of worms...

Which I'd like you to open... Just for an insight - Go, on, go on, go on!

[KingRichard]

I'd quite like to be able to put 'Racing Driver' down as an occupation on life insurance applications and watch the salemans face

[KingRichard]

SuperKartRacer said:

KingRichard said:

I'd quite like to be able to put 'Racing Driver' down as an occupation on life insurance applications and watch the salemans face

Take this serious or people like me will run you off the track baby, JK ;-)

You can test my single seater for £2500 if you like?

Edited by SuperKartRacer on Thursday 22 November 16:26

Single seater? Well, I've never seen a go kart with two seats

ETA: I see you do F3 as well...

Edited by KingRichard on Thursday 22 November 16:32

[KingRichard]

JP_Midget said:

KingRichard said:

SuperKartRacer said:

KingRichard said:

I'd quite like to be able to put 'Racing Driver' down as an occupation on life insurance applications and watch the salemans face

Take this serious or people like me will run you off the track baby, JK ;-)

You can test my single seater for £2500 if you like?

Edited by SuperKartRacer on Thursday 22 November 16:26

Single seater? Well, I've never seen a go kart with two seats

My Go-kart used to have two seats so me and a friend could ride it down the hill, and he could pull it back up.

I had one of those too. Mine was made from an old pram

[KingRichard]

VSCC?

[KingRichard]

JP_Midget said:

KingRichard said:

VSCC?

Not raced with those. I expect that due to the age of the vehicles they would be rather costly, but there are often a few about, and they're always at the MGCC International event, or at least cars of that era.

Yes I was thinking Blower Bentleys and Bugatti's...

Then I woke up

[KingRichard]

JP_Midget said:

KingRichard said:

JP_Midget said:

KingRichard said:

VSCC?

Not raced with those. I expect that due to the age of the vehicles they would be rather costly, but there are often a few about, and they're always at the MGCC International event, or at least cars of that era.

Yes I was thinking Blower Bentleys and Bugatti's...

Then I woke up

Let me join you for a moment

You stay AWAY from me while I'm sleeping

[KingRichard]

Ok, let's move on and pretend nothing happened...

I agree with you about using the older stuff. It's so great to see these old hero's pounding round a track, rather than sat in a carcoon never turning a wheel in some collection

[KingRichard]

HiRich said:

I'm involved with (I think "run" is too bold a claim) a 1954 Cooper.

If the OP is interested in historics, the most important element is working out what you want to drive. Issues to consider include:

• What do you want to drive? Single-seaters, sports cars, saloons?
• How much money have you got? £20k will get you into some series. Others start at £100k and carry on almost indefinitely.
• How much mechanical nous have you got? Some cars are easier to work on, others take a bit of experience.
• How competitive do you want it to be? Some are very competitive, others are basically guys having a bit of fun. This can effect how much you actually enjoy it and how much it's going to cost.

From there, it's browsing the interent for club sites and car sales, and getting a feel for it. If something looks interesting, arrange to see them racing and offer a mechanic's hand. You'll quickly get a feel for the series and atmosphere.

If you want free drives in historics, there are three well-proven methods:

• The celeb route: Become a champion in a major national or international series. Retire. Put the word out that you'd like the occasional run out. Get pally with Charlie March.
• The Mark Hayles route: Become very pally with a rich car collector who's realising that he's getting a bit old or just can't do justice to his cars, or has more cars than he can use.
• The Tony Steele route: Build a business in vehicle restoration and preparation that's amongst the best in the series. Prove your ability to shakedown and set up cars. Become an indispensable aprt of the series. Eventually a satisfied customer will ask you to give their project a run-out before they use it.

I'll leave you to decide which option is more promising.

That's pretty cool. Cooper as in the GP car?

Any pics?

Maybe historics ain't such a good idea. Don't want to chuck more than a few grand a year at it really to start with.

Are there any dirt cheap (I realise this would be comparatively speaking!) series I could get involved in on circuits? I'm thinking of Mini's or 2CV's or Locosts or something that can just give me a flavour for a season...

I certainly can't throw £100k into a folly just yet

[KingRichard]

wee_skids said:

A cheap way would be to buy a ready prep'd Mg Metro and do the Drayton manor championship.
But cheap isn't really cheap and that'll still cost you - especially if you don't do any spannering yourself.

What you looking at? £10k a season?